Troy, N.Y. June 28, 2007 – The NABF Women’s Super Featherweight title and fights with local favorites Shannon Miller and Wayland Willingham will be featured at an Independence week pro boxing card July 7th at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, N.Y., the first outdoor boxing event in the region in 10 years.

Along with a forecast of beautiful summer weather, the July Fourth holiday boxing card will feature the women’s NABF Super Featherweight Championship between RI’s Missy Fiorentino (15-1, 6 KOs) and Brooklyn’s Cindy Serrano (15-0-1, 7 KOs), hometown favorite heavyweight Shannon Miller (14-3, 8 KOs), who will make his return to the ring against Tyrone Roberts (11-3, 8 KOs), and undefeated welterweight prospect Wayland Willingham (11-0, 6 KOs) who takes on Chad Greenleaf (10-7, 4 KOs). Young boxers from around the region will fight competitive bouts on the undercard.

“This is a great way to celebrate the culmination of the Fourth of July holiday,” said Lisa Elovich promoter of the event. “The show will include fireworks, a card with some new, local, energetic fighters and, of course, hometown favorites Shannon Miller and Wayland Willingham. Also, for the first time ever, we have females headlining the card in a championship fight.”

Fiorentino, who held both the IWBF featherweight and lightweight belts, will try to earn a title at a third weight class. She is ranked number one by both the WBC and WBA. Serrano, Brooklyn, N.Y., is ranked third in the WBA and will fight for her second title, earning a draw with Rhonda Luna (12-0-1, 7 KOs) in a fight for the WIBA Featherweight Championship last year.

Miller, who challenged for the NYS Heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden late last year, will fight in front of friends and family at home in Troy for the first time in 10 years. He returns to the ring after taking time off following his title fight. Roberts, Tama, IA, is a power-puncher who’s faced difficult competition, including “All-American” Rob Calloway (65-7, 52 KOs) and mid-west prospect Dominique Alexander (16-1-1, 8 KOs).

Willingham, native of Albany, N.Y., most recently stepped up in competition by winning his first eight-round fight against tough Mexican Carlos Molina (8-3, 4 KOs). In March, national magazine Boxing Digest featured him in its “Prospects” profile as an up-and-coming fighter to watch. Before the Molina bout, the 28 year-old southpaw won two consecutive six-round fights by impressive early KOs. Greenleaf, Parkersburg, West Va., resumed his boxing career late last year as a tough veteran gatekeeper for prospects, taking some time off after a tough eight-round decision loss to Contender TV show alumnus, Jimmy Lange (28-3, 20 KOs).

Local fighters will be highlighted on a competitive undercard, including heavyweights Chris Horn (1-0) and Jerry Spiegel (2-1, 1 KO), who both return to the ring on their first Pugnacious Promotions boxing card. Donyell Dukes (0-2), Albany, N.Y., will fight for the first time in his home town. The walkout bout features exciting Latin featherweights Anolan Rigal (1-0-1, 1 KO), Utica, N.Y., and Francisco Palacios (0-1-3), Bronx, N.Y.

The holiday event at Joe Bruno Stadium is the first outdoor fight card in the Capital Region in nearly a decade. Joe Bruno stadium is a state-of-the-art professional baseball facility and home of the Tri-City ValleyCats, Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros. The venue features 4,500 permanent seats, 10 luxury suites, and an open air concourse designed to give every seat a great view of the field and an intimate ballpark feel.

(copyright Jeff Foley, Pugnacious Promotions)

 

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